Anything for a Smile
by Eyes of a Seer
Summary: Busy with her duties at the palace, Alanna spends a lot of time in Corus. Returning home she is met with a nasty surprise. She finds comfort with Jon, but there are bad times just around the corner.. evil is where we least expect it to be.. JA
1. One

_A/N: I'm going to be honest - I've got no idea where this story is heading, and I'm not sure if its got much of a future. This takes place sometime after Lady Knight. It is most likely going to be A/J unless I get enough reviews asking me for something else. Ideas are welcome_ R/R!!!   
  
King Jonathon of Tortall sat at his large wooden desk, a glass of wine within his left hand, which his wife had given him to help him relax. Taking a sip of the fine liquid, he looked at the papers piled upon the various surfaces in his office and sighed heavily.   
  
_'Even with Gary and about a dozen others working on paperwork, I always end up with so much that by the time I've finished, It's time to do another set.'_   
  
Deciding to take a short break from the work, he stood and walked into the palace gardens. The foliage was lush and the leaves carried beautiful hues of green, which were balanced so perfectly with the reds, pinks, violets of the flowers that it resembled something sung of in a ballad.   
  
He walked to a bench which brought back many memories for him and stared at it long and hard, thinking about how much had changed since that night years ago.  
  
It had been Alanna's 17th birthday, she had not been the most famous knight in the realm back then, and he had been the prince, not the King of Tortall. Before that night he hadn't acted seriously upon his feelings for her, he hadn't ruined their relationship by acting like an egotistical jerk. His parents had been alive, her brother had lived then as well.  
  
Now, things had changed so much, Tortall had the Dominion Jewel, brought by the Lioness to aid her land in a time of need. George had claimed what he, Jonathon, had once called his. Alanna and George were now married and happy, though Jonathon still wondered what might have happened if he hadn't pushed Alanna to marriage, causing her to rebel and fall into the waiting arms of George Cooper.  
  
He, of course, had Thayet, who was amazing in so many ways - yet she couldn't make him laugh like Alanna could. She also couldn't make him feel the way he felt around the Lady Knight. His skin tingled, his heart began to beat faster, and he would memorize her expressions, each and everyone of them - though he would never let it show.   
  
He loved Alanna, there was no doubt - but it could never work. They both knew the realm came first - perhaps in another life they would be together, as it was meant to be.   
  
"Reminiscing? tsk Shouldn't you be somewhere else? I walked through your study and saw all the piles of paperwork, and I must say I was rather astonished to see you weren't hidden behind one of them."   
  
A voice that he recognized pulled him out of his reminiscent stupor, and he looked at her violet eyes that danced with badly hidden mirth.   
"Ha ha, very funny Alanna. I was taking a short break, if you must know, and after a walk in the gardens I figured this bench would be rather comfortable. Although, it does bring back a lot of memories."  
  
"Have you been sneaking out and doing funny things to the benches again Jon?" She asked him with a raised eyebrow.   
  
"No I haven't, dearest, but you please inform me what funny things you are implying?" He said, silently daring her to say what he knew she was thinking.   
  
"I'm not implying anything. So, what were you thinking of before I came? Spending time in the gardens with a lady whose name you can't even remember?" Her voice was light and teasing - she knew exactly what he had been thinking of.   
  
"Oh, I wouldn't say that I don't remember her name, we were actually fairly good friends." His eyes were shining with suppressed laughter. "Really? I can't recall you having any 'lady friends.'" "You knew her as well, but if you can't guess I won't tell you. I will say that she was beautiful, especially when she was angry - which was fairly often. Though I knew we could never end up together because she was horrid in be-"   
  
He was cut off by the punch thrown at him by his champion. "Oh shut it Jon." She glared at him.   
  
"Why don't you mak-"   
  
"I suggest you take her advice before you end up in the hospital wing." Queen Thayet walked towards them from a path that led straight to a stone garden that was a new addition.   
  
"I was showing George the new addition to the gardens." Thayet explained, seeing Alanna's curious glance at the path which she had never seen before.   
  
"C'mon lass, it's beautiful." George led Alanna away after a few moments of conversation with Jon and Thayet. Neither Alanna nor Thayet noticed the repulsed and untrusting glance Jon threw at George.   
  
The stone garden contained everything from a waterfall to a short wall made of small stones of different colours which changed continually.   
  
A long look at the gravel on the ground revealed many tiny clear stones which sparkled in the light. It was as beautiful as George had promised, if not more so.  
  
"How are the children doing?" Alanna asked George with a hint of regret in her voice. She was not at home as often as she would have liked.   
  
"They're fine, but they miss you Alanna. _I_miss you. You're never at home anymore, yet there's no current wars raging. I understand you needing to be there for your country, but we need you at home too."   
  
"I know George, but it's hard." She was fighting to swallow a lump in her throat, and her mouth felt dry.   
  
"You always say that, but then I see you and Jon sitting around joking with each other. I know you tell me how hard it is, and I see how tired you are, and then I wonder 'what exactly are you doing here that's so hard?'. Don't say anything, please, I've wanted to get this off my chest for a while."   
  
Alanna had opened her mouth to say something, but closed it fast at his request.   
  
"I want to ask you something, and I'm very serious about this Alanna. Please answer me truthfully, I won't hold it against you."   
  
She nodded.   
  
"Alanna, are you still in love with Jon?" His voice was strained as he asked her this, and he wore a pained expression on his face.   
  
Alanna started to laugh, but stopped upon seeing his expression. With a sigh she began to explain, "George, I'm not in love with Jon anymore. Yes, I love him dearly - but _only as a friend_. I love _you_, and _you alone_ George. I know that I haven't been home for a while, and you've got every right to yell and be mad at me, but please try to understand.

"Having me here helps with everything - paperwork, I help train the pages. I'm here to give my friends the strength they need. Especially Jon - and not because I'm in love with him."   
  
She gave him a look that quite clearly said 'It's not true, so get over it' because he had a look on his face that said quite clearly 'I knew it'.   
  
"You've known him for years, so I'm sure you noticed that he looked pretty bad in there. It's getting to him, the stress of being King. Everything that we put on hold due to the war is catching up with him, and everyone's frantic to finish this before next season's work gets here."   
  
She held his hand, and tickled his palm softly while staring deep into his hazel eyes, pleading with them to understand her.  
  
"I need to be here for a little while longer, but I'll be home soon."   
  
He sighed, and pulled her in for a hug. Kissing the top of her head he leant down and whispered in her ear "I'll be leaving in the morning, so let's have dinner now and then..." He laughed slyly, and he grabbed her hand and led her away.  
  
3 weeks later  
  
Alanna inhaled deeply, the scent of the sea filling her lungs. She was near home, she could see Pirate's Swoop ahead.   
  
She grinned, imagining the look on George's face when he saw her. She hadn't sent any message that she was coming home, she wanted it to be a surprise for everyone.   
  
The gates opened for her as she neared them, and she told the messenger that was about to go inform _"The Baron"_ of her arrival that she would inform him herself.   
  
After washing up a little in a spare room, she walked up towards the room she shared with George. She made no sound with the aid of her magic, and she was certain that George had not heard her coming. She cloaked herself in enough of her magic so that his Sight wouldn't inform him she was there.   
  
She threw open the doors to their bedchambers and saw a sight that she had not been prepared for. Her husband had not been alone in the bed, and neither he nor the woman he was with were wearing any clothing.   
  
She left the room quietly, but had dropped her magical shield long enough for George to notice she was there. He ran out after her but she ran soundlessly to a spare room, and waited for George to give up his search. When she was sure he was gone, she went to see all of her children, and told them she was sorry she couldn't stay longer, but something important had come up in Corus, and they needed her as soon as possible. She then asked someone to have a bag packed and sent to Corus for her.   
  
Mounting her horse, she galloped off into the distance, not able to get what she had seen out of her mind _'Why?'_ she thought.   
  
She didn't allow herself to break down for days, not until she arrived in Corus and knocked on the door of the King's study and collapsed into Jon's arms, crying, pale, and whispering the word _'why?'_ over and over again until she fell into a magic induced sleep.   
  
_AN: so.. good? bad? Review and let me know if you think I should update. Any advice is appreciated. I hate doing that to George, even though I'm an A/J shipper. :( ----REVIEW =)_


	2. Two

_A/N: I must admit, I don't think I was going to update this, but I've received quite a few reviews lately, all asking me to continue, so I will. Think of this as a Christmas gift from me to you )_

_Also, remember that anger is not the only emotion Alanna ever shows. So although she may seem OOC, we need to remember that she has just discovered her husband was cheating on her. This is just a little note to readers because in this chapter Alanna gets emotional._

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**To refresh your memory: Alanna has been staying at the palace to support Jon and her other friends, but George wants her to come home because he and the children miss her. Alanna and George talk, he thinks she still loves Jon and she tells him he's being silly. They work it out and George ends up going home the next day. A few weeks later Alanna goes home to surprise George, and she finds him in bed with another woman. She goes back to Corus. "She didn't allow herself to break down for days, not until she arrived in Corus and knocked on the door of the King's study and collapsed into Jon's arms, crying, pale, and whispering the word 'why?' over and over again until she fell into a magic induced sleep."

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**

"I still don't understand, Jon. What happened to her?" Gary and Jonathan stood at Jon's doorway, gazing upon Alanna's still form upon Jon's bed.

"George." His eyes blazed with fury, his voice was full of loathing and hatred. Gary turned his gaze from Alanna to stare wide-eyed at his cousin. He had never seen Jonathan so angry, and he had never expected George to be the person towards which this anger was directed.

"George?" Gary repeated quizzically. He didn't understand – there was no way that George, who loved Alanna more than anything in the world, could hurt her this much.

"Yes, George. I don't know how he managed to keep it secret for so lon-" He cut his speech short and rushed to Alanna's side as she slowly sat up in bed.

Jon sat on the edge of the bed, eyes filled with worry for his best friend. Her violet eyes shimmered as she without a doubt thought of George, and her usually healthy, glowing skin was dull and lifeless. He felt the urge to comfort her, to hold her in his arms and protect her from the rest of the world.

"Alanna, it's going to be okay." His voice was soft and caring as he took her into his strong arms, stroking her back soothingly.

"How? How will this get better, Jon? I feel… I can't even describe how I feel." She spoke into his shirt, tears falling freely from her eyes. She lifted her head and looked up at Jon, her eyes red from crying. "Why would he do that to me? Is it my fault? Am I a bad wife, a bad mother? I just wanted to fulfill my duty to my country, and I thought he understood that. So why would he hurt me like this?" The tears stopped falling, though her eyes were still misty. She stared unblinkingly at him, waiting for a response.

"I-I can't say I know why he did it, Alanna." Jon sighed, he couldn't think of any way to take the pain away. "All I know is that all of us are here for you as long as you need us. I'll always be here for you." He took her hand softly into his, "I'll leave for a while so that you can rest, call me if you need me with your gift." He gave her hand a soft pat and stood to leave the room.

As he turned to walk away Alanna grabbed his hand, "Please don't leave. I-I just need you here with me right now."

He made a move to sit on the chair right next to the bed but Alanna pulled him to sit on the bed. The tears that had been restrained for a short period of time returned, and Jon pulled her close stroking her hair as she sobbed into his shoulder.

"It'll be okay Alanna, just give it time." He whispered soothingly, placing a soft kiss on the top of her head.

Gary watched the two from the doorway, as they had both either forgotten or failed to notice he was there. He had learned a lot from the exchange between the two best friends, though the information just showed him about how much was hidden from him. George had done something that had hurt Alanna a lot, but Gary couldn't figure out what it was that he had done. Quietly leaving Jon's room and walking out into the hall, he bumped into Thayet.

"Good morning Gary, were you visiting Jon in there? I've been looking for him." She stopped to ask him.

"Yes, he's in there – but I wouldn't go in there right now. Alanna's in there and she's in a horrible state – when I left she was just beginning to settle." He thought of the gentle, loving manner in which Jonathan treated Alanna, which he hardly ever showed to anyone anymore. "She's really upset – I don't think I've ever seen her like this before. I'm not very sure what happened, but I think it would be better if they were left alone for a while." He sighed, and Thayet nodded in response.

"Well, I guess I'll talk to Jon later. I hope that Alanna feels better." She turned to walk away, but seemed to change her mind. "Gary, I'm going to go to town to get some new dresses, if you see Jon before dinner, could you please ask him to read the letters on his desk?" She asked him politely.

"Of course, enjoy your shopping." He replied.

Gary went off to work on some of the paperwork that had piled up since the war, as Thayet headed down to the stables. After saddling her horse and mounting up, she rode to the main gates which had been opened to grant a lone rider entry.

"George!" Thayet exclaimed. She had not seen her friend in a long time, and perhaps he had come to help Alanna with whatever was troubling her. He turned his head to see who had called him and saw Thayet upon her horse.

"Morning, Thayet. Have you, by any chance, seen Alanna?" He looked disheveled, and his voice was tired as he asked her his question.

"She's with Jon in our rooms. Gary told me she's very upset, but he didn't know why." Thayet looked to George to see if he could explain, but he had already begun to ride towards the palace. Shrugging, she countinued her ride into the city to be fitted for new dresses, a guard from the palace accompanying her.

The door to Jonathan's bedroom was thrown open as George ran through it and into Jon's chambers. He saw Alanna lying in Jon's bed with Jon's arms around her. Both Jon and Alanna looked up at the noise, and Jon got out of the bed, preparing to kick George out of the room using whatever means necessary.

"_Get out." _

Both men turned to see Alanna staring at George with cold, unforgiving eyes.

"Alanna! Please, I came here to explain what you saw." George's voice was pleading, yet Alanna would not break and let him stay so easily.

"You want to _explain?_ I understand what I saw – I saw my husband bedding another woman when I had come home to surprise him. I saw my husband cheating on me in my own home, in my own bed. What exactly is there left to explain?" Her voice was cold, her words spoken harshly. She spoke louder than before, the anger building within her.

"Can I at least explain why I did it?" He asked her.

"Yes, tell me why you did it George. I would _love _to hear your explaination." Her words were cruely spoken, but she was beginning to break. A salty lump formed in her throat and she fought to break it down.

"I-I was... I don't know Alanna. You were always gone, and you acted like you loved Jon more than me. I was lonely, and the women-" He was interrupted by Alanna.

"You destroyed our relationship because you were _lonely? _You don't think I was lonely? Fighting for my life or doing piles and piles of paperwork and then going to sleep in my big empty bed?" She yelled, her eyes misty.

"You never came home Alanna!" He was starting to get angry now – _how dare she act like she was the only one who had to spend her nights alone?_

"But she did go home George – when she returned to Pirate's Swoop, she was to stay there for a few months." It was Jon who spoke, not Alanna. "But after the welcome she received I can't say I blame her for returning to the palace." He spoke as if he was having a friendly conversation with a friend.

"Stay out of this Jon." George growled.

"Why don't you tell Alanna about how long you've been doing this George. I seem to remember a certain incident four years ago, before the war started. Something about a midnight stroll to clear your head..." Jon's friendly manner continued. Alanna looked at him with a hurt look on her face and he said quietly "I told Thayet and she told me I was being stupid and that I shouldn't tell you anything."

"I said _stay out of this!_" George was fuming with anger. He saw Alanna lean towards Jon and whisper something in his ear.

"As king of Tortall, I declare the marriage of you, George Cooper or Pirate's Swoop, and the lady Alanna of Pirate's Swoop, Trebond and Olau annuled. Now _get out of my room and my palace. I will allow you to reside within my country, but anything I hear against you will lead to serious punishments." _Every word was spoken with hatred.

For a moment George was furious, and his rage was evident on his face, but then he seemed to realise exactly what had happened.

"Goodbye, Alanna. I love you." He quietly exited the room, and as the door clicked shut Alanna collapsed on the bed, sobbing.

"Mithros, I'm so sorry that happened Alanna." Jon swept her up in his arms, and hugged her tightly. Pulling his head back, and tilting her head with a thumb on her chin, he spoke softly "It's all for the best that this happened now and not later. The longer it lasted, the more it would have hurt." She nodded.

He didn't know what possesed him to do it, but he leaned in closer to her and softly kissed her lips. He knew it was wrong, and that there was no way she was thinking clearly after all she had been through, but he was happier than he had been for years as he felt her kissing him back.

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_A/N – well, I've written another chapter. It may not be the greatest, but I've been writing in bits and pieces, and I'm trying to decide where this story is going. I might upload a different version of this chapter later. Reviews are appreciated ) I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and if I don't get back to you before then – a Happy New Year!! I love you all! _

_Kissessss,_

_Eyes of a Seer_


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